World of the Heart, Shadows of the Twin Goddesses
by zRISC
Summary: Crossover MKR-Ys. A man is laying unconscious in the Forest of Silence, and is taken to Presea's place. He says some incoherent words. Will this mean something for Cephiro ?. Rating might change in the future.
1. Prelude: Part 1

**Title: World of the Heart and the Shadow of the Twin Goddesses.**

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**Disclaimer:** This is a crossover of Magic Knight Rayearth, with elements of Ancient Book of Ys I & II, and some other elements taken of various games from that action-rpg saga. Only the plot presented in this story is 'original'. MKR characters belong to CLAMP, and those of Ys saga belong to Nihon Falcom Co. Enjoy the Story.

Also, this is a translation made by myself of the original story in spanish: "El Mundo del Corazón y la Sombra de las Dos Diosas", also available in this site.

**Considerations for this Universe:**

- Based mainly in the Anime series, with some interesting elements of the manga, ad a little of the OVAs.

- Nova did exist, but she hasn't parted again from Hikaru, and in this story will not do so. At least not for appearing in Cephiro.

- Sierra asumed Presea's role. But the Magic Knights and the rest of the world for that matter don't know the awful truth.

- 1 terran day equals three cephran days.

- Years in Cephiro will be measured in 'After-Rebirth' (AR) calendar.

- I will use the following names for the Cephran classes: _Dal – Swordsman, Ile – Sorcerer, Cail – Magic Swordsman, Master Pharle – Master Smith, Madoushi – Master Mage, Palu – Summoner. _Others will come as i remember them

- I will use the metric system for measures. If you don't like it... bear it! :D (it's native to me, so i'm not used to think in yards, feet & inches, ounces, pounds, etc.)

- Hikaru, Umi and Fuu will have after being 17 years of age according to Earth standards ther definite heigth: 1,60mt., 1,72mt., 1,68mt. Respectively.

- The rest of the characters: Lantis 1,90mt., Ferio 1,75mt., Ascot 1,85mt; Clef 1,30mt. (child form)/ 1,80mt (adult form); LaFarga and Geo 2mt; Caldina and Presea 1,75mt.; Eagle 1,78mt.

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**Prelude part 1: A Harsh Awakening**

**Cephiro, 9 years AR (3 terran years).**

A young man looking about 25 years old, with dark hazelnut hair and dark blue eyes, with harsh facial features, with skin hardened by harsh country labor, with a body build made to plow harsh environments, is laying down on his stomach, on the grass of a forest full of little and harmless creatures; The Forest of Silence, place that since the Pillar System was abolished is a peaceful and quiet place, ideal for picnics or people who need some solitude; but the constraint that gives it its name still lives, only people with an incredible amount of willpower can use magic there, but even then hasn't same effect and power and it will drain their energy very quickly. Little by little, the youngster starts to become conscious of his surroundings, but without trying to get up, he feels too weak and tired.

"_uuughh.... where am I?_" sighs, then trying to move his head to be able to see aroung him. He distinguishes some trees, that don't look like any species he might have known, and realizes that there is a small lake close by. He believes that in the air is some singing voice, but he isn't capable of discerning any lyrics, just a melody that is both soothing and has some kind of mystical power; he doesn't know how did he realize that or was able to feel that.

The owner of that voice, is no other than Presea, the _Master Pharle_ of Cephiro. She is kneeling on some sort of a open temple made of ivory and with some sort of altar in the middle of it; this temple is on the shore of the lake. She is with the dress she uses to work with magic on minerals, because over the altar, floating above it is a crystal that is being worked by her magic. Her meditation is so deep that she isn't able to perceive that just about one hundred meters across from her, is that man.

The crystal shines softly as the prayer of the lady is being finished; then it shines a blinding light. The woman opens her eyes and looks at her last masterpiece. Before her, descending softly until it lays horizontally over the altar is a totally unexpected result for her, is not usual to see this kind of weapon used by any warrior in Cephiro; a two-handed warhammer with a wooden-like handle, but she knows by her years of experience making equipment that ther is more than meets the eye... that hande will not break easily, and the head of said weapon has one of its sides finished in a spear tip, and the other as a normal hammer, with engravings of some symbols in some unknown language for her in one of its sides, and in the other an image of the faces of two beautiful women: one with a happy, almost content expression, and other with a solemn one. These features make a fearsome weapon in battle if the person for which this weapon was made has True Strength of Heart. Se doesn't know the destiny that awaits is user, nor she wants to grasp it.... after the tragedy her work a few years ago caused for some poor innocent girls from another world, there are almost no things that can be harsher, but that is no reason for her to live them or doing someone to live them. Be what it may, weapons are tools, ant their consequences are made by those who wield them adn the purpose for they are using them.

_'*Well, the Lord of that city in the mountain -Crissa La Neva- will have to wait another more day for his new sword. From this piece of Escudo ore a fine sword should have emerged, but since the crystal wasn't extracted from Eterna by himseld, and it was asked from my raw materials, maybe some divine intervention made the magic to work out this way; who knows, maybe something is goign to happen in Cephiro in some future. I know not who is the bearer of this warhammer, but i'll be the one to deliver it. Let's hope that it's just me, and not anything else. Oh Well! To the armory with this hammer.*'_

Presea stood, then got her hands close to the weapon, without touching it, mentally chanted a spell, and the hammer vanished away in a soft magic light.

"_Pu, Pu Pu?_" says a soft voice, coming from some little bouncy and fluffy animal looking thing, that looks like some ovoidal overweight rabbit with a gemstone over and between its eyes. In its ears is carrying a small basket.

"_Mokona!_" Presea exclaimed happily. "_Thanks for not interrupting me this time!_" she smiles at Mokona, while the bouncy little thing comes to 1 meter of distance from her and leaves in the floor the basket so she can reach it.

"Puuuu, pu pu pu!" begins to say happily Mokona, while opening the basket.

"Pastries and Juice!" exclaims happil Presea, taking out some pieces of pastry and some juice from a bottle that is magically sealed agains spillovers but nonetheless allows you to drink as if it had no cap. "mmmmm.... delicious! Who might have made it?" asked aloud after having a bit of the light meal that Mokona brought.

"_Presea!_" exclaims with a happy tone a voice that comes from the same direction that Mokona came from; that voice has a soft but nice tune to it, as if the mere presence of the person who is speaking had brought life and happiness to this forest. That wasn't so far from the truth, for the girl who called her is the one chosen as the last Pillar of Cephiro, and if she isn't the person with more willpower in the world, she for sure is one of the strongest willed existing; Hikaru, Magic Knight of Fire, Donner of Rayearth the Rune-God of the Fire Temple. As she runs to Presea, her red hair made in a long braid moves softly with the breeze that courses through the forest, and her ruby coloured eyes look at her with happiness. Beyond her, some meters of distance, walking peacefully, but not without a calm expression on his face, comes a very tall man, with short black hair, shining and expressive violet eyes, with battle-hardened muscles, but not the bulky type, enhanced by his full black garb, but without his armor that is safely stored in his belt within the amethyst in its center. _Cail_ Lantis is him, guardian and not-so-official-boyfriend of Hikaru.

"_Hikaru.... thank you very much!_" Told Presea to the _pètite _redhead smiling happily induced by the sugar rush from the light meal, when the young girl of 17 years of age arrived nexto to her and stops without seeming tired in the least. "_After working on a piece of Escudo ore, i always end up wasted. Nothing like a good pastry to recover._"the _Pharle_ happily finished speaking.

"_I know Presea, so now that we're visiting, Umi-chan baked a lot of pastries... even Lantis ate some._"answered the young girl, smiling heppily, while he shrugged a bit, and blushed very lightly, and smiled in a way that almost couldn't be noticed when he arrived close to his beloved little girl that now comes up to somewhere between his chest and waist. Now he caresses her hair soflty, with that little contact speaking volumes of how he felt about her.

"_Puuu.... pu pu pu?_" chirped Mokona, starting to bounce away, in the opposite direction they came from, going farther away from the group.

"_Mokona-chan... wait for me! Don't go alone out there!_" exclaimed Hikaru while going after Mokona.

Lantis smiles again, but this time is noticeable, and then looks at Presea, who finished eating the meal that Mokona brought to her. _'*Truly, he looks really better with a smile on his face. Hikaru is what Céfiro needed, and let's not talk about him also needing her.*' _thought Presea slightly amused while she closed the basket and takes it in her hands. The man offers his hand to help her to stand up.

_"Thank you, Lantis." _said while she got up with his help.

"_You're welcome. If i hadn't done it Hikaru would've felt really bad. She knows how tired you end up._" said Lantis, now with a peaceful look on his face. "_How did the commission go?_" asked next.

"_It didn't go as expected. That is what happens when you summon to the magic of Cephiro asking for something in return, but you don't offer something that is bound to you, and you alone by your Strength of Heart. Tomorrow i'll give it another shot._" answered Presea, while she willed herself to be changed into her usual attire for work, not the clothes she uses for magic-creation.

"_Fortunately, there're very few monstes in Cephiro, and in that snowy city there isn't much to worry about. Tomorrow is another day._" told her the _Cail_, to ease her up a bit; Presea had quite a temper when things didn't go as she planned, but he wondered why she hadn't tried to see how far Mokona's ears stretched or how much water could she stuf into Mokona's mouth.

_"Lantis!" _Hikaru's voice was easily heard from a distance._ "We have an unconscious man in the shore, right here!"_

Presea and Lantis sprinted to see what Hikaru is telling them about, and they see the man that was entering and exiting unconscious states. Hikaru is about to lift him in her shoulders when Lantis comes and stops her touchinng her shoulder softly. "_Let me try, he doesn't seem like a lightweight._" Nest, he tried to lift the fainted man, passing the man's right arm over his shoulder, and eased him up, not without a bit of complications due to the man's weight and bodybuild.

Presea glances for a moment to the man that is resting on Lantis, feeling that something in that one attracts her attention. He opens his eyes for a moment, and her light brown eyes, meet with his dark blue. She finds herself speechless for an instant, until she reacts and goes to the man's other side to help Lantis to support his massive -from her point of view- frame. In shoulder width he had a bit more than twice lhat hers. She finished that, when the guy was able to utter some words.

"_Where... am... I?_"

Presea answered in a sweet tone. "_In the Forest of Silence, in Céfiro. Who are you?_"

"_Fajto... Kevin... Fajto..._"answered in a rather tired tone the man, going unconscious again.

Hikaru, after this still unnerved, glances at Mokona, and asks her with a puppy-eyed expression. "Mokona, we need a stretcher, can you help us?"

"Pu!" is his answer, and inmediately the jewel on his forehead shines brightly and instantly a floating stretched, wide and large enough to set him up with ease. Once they did it, a magical dome covers Kevin to induce him to sleep and protect him.

The three of them guide the floating stretcher to Presea's place, where she likes to work because she has a better contact with nature and magic in its raw state.

Once in the building, they take him to a bed in a guestroom. There, Lantis begins to see how his health is faring, given his vast knowledge in Healing Arts, next only to those of _Madoushi _Clef. The _Cail _is ina state of deep meditation tryin to see with his magic the state of the man who only told them his name, Kevin, before going unconscious.

"_Well, what does he have?_" asked Presea.

"_He doesn't seem with lack of food or exercise. Or signals of physical weariness._" said Hikaru.

"_It appears to be just that he somehow used too much of his heart, as if he ran out of willpower. Something really hard happened to him for sure, to be left in this state_" answered Lantis. "_He will recover, but it will take time for him to wake up. I'm nos able to say how much it's going to take, though. And i doubt that magic can help here; we have to let time do its work._"

Presea heard this, and while not being fully at ease, she thinks for a moment. '*_I truly wish for him to recover_*' After that she realized that in the floor, really close to the bed is a small dagger, that looks as if it were made of silver by the way it looks, and this interests her, because silver is not so suitable for making weapons, but she would make sure to study it in detail later, and goes to ordering the papers in her office, trying to store the dagger in one of her jewel-gloves with full success.

Hikaru makes visual contact with Lantis and tells him. "_Now, i also hope for his recovery, I truly hope that iit isn't something more serious._"

"_Remember, my beloved girl,_" said Lantis to her. "_Cephiro is a land of Will. I didn't perceive much, but there was an incredible desire to live. But he needs a lot of rest._"

"_Lantis... thank you._" and then she hugs him tighly, to feel comforted in his embrace. He hugs her back,

Then they walk out from the room, hand in hand, without giving notice that in a corner of the room, over a piece of furniture, as if it truly were some stuffed animal, is Mokona, saying "_Puu..."_ softly and quetly, while he drifts to sleep

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**  
Ten days after, Cephran time.**

Presea was peacefully in the dining room of her fortress having told Clef about the strange incident with the weapon crafting from Escudo, that happened some days ago. Fortunately, the day right after the incident the commisioned weapon was finished without any further incident, and the works after that one were also successful.

She takes then from the enchanted closet where she stores all kinds of food, and keeps them cold and fresh, a pie made by her with a recipe that Umi gave her some time ago, a 'Lemon Pie'. With practice and putting a bit of her heart into iit, the pies were truly a delicacy. Sometimes, a certain ambassador from Autozam, Eagle Vision, came to her place to dicsuss about business with the jewel-gloves, that he wanted to take shiploads to Autozam, while he with his FTO and some mining robots, courtesy of Autozam of course, to work in the mines of dormant Escudo, helping her to have a healty supply of that ore and some others; he usually came for tea, and with an incredible craving for sweet things. She knew really few men who were as crazy for sweets as this pale-blond haired man.

She is so concentrated in her meditation, and she doesn't realize that something bumps into the back of her head making her face to land in the dead center of her once magnificient Lemon Pie, getting al her face sweet and sticky. She starts getting her face out of the mess, when she looks ahead and with a happy, carefree and amused expression on his face is Mokona. "_¡Puu!_"

Presea, really mad now tries to catch him, but the little fluffball avoids her everytime and bounces away happily by a corridor. "_MOKONA!!_" she screamed angrily. "_When i get you i'll make a pair of bunny slippers out of you!!!! you ruined my masterpiece!!!_" she exclaimed while her face was ready to tell everyon that now she was dishing out punishment, and woe to anyone who crossed her path. In the heat of the chase, she cleaned her face with whatever she could get for that without ceasing to chase Mokona.

She chases the fluffball through various parts of the fortress, really close to catching him, but he always manages to escape in the last instant; that doesn't do much to quell Presea, by the conotrary, is infuriating her more and more. The cat-and-mouse game continues until Mokona enters to the guest room where Kevin is resting unconscious. Since he entered that room, is not in line of sight of Presea. Anyways, she gave chase until entering the room and is not able to see the fluffball anywhere inside, and screams in a rather angry tone. "_MOKONA! Where the hell in Cephiro are you? Creator or not... I'll pull your ears and stretch them as far as i can!_" and starts looking for him in the room, thoroughly.

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Meanwhile, in the dining room, Mokona looks the ruined Lemon Pie. "_Puu..._" and eats it in only one snack. "_mmmm.... Puu!"_, and the jewel in his forehead shines, and instantly an untouched Lemon Pie is set in the table, and at some short distance a lit brazier, with a medium cooked roast beef, being kept warm (1).

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"_Where the hell is Mokona?! When i catch him i'll have a really serious talk with him._" Presea exclaimed in a rather infuriated tone. Then, she hears some moaning. "uuuunnnggggh....."

She turns around looking for the source fo the moans, when she realizes that the man who has been asleep for more than a week, even if he has lost some weight he is still a big man. She goes to the bed, and takes a chair to sit next to the man. She notices that he has a hand outside the bed; in some impulse that she didn't know about, she took his hand... and perceives tremors in his being, but not for being cold. Then he starts talking in his sleep.

_"Lilia... Adol.... Fee-na..... Leah... Fact... To-vah... Gemm—ma.... Hud-da-le... Dab-bie... Mes-sa... Ys.... Ys... Cle-ria.... Darm... des-tro-yed...."._

Presea looks a him with a startled expression on her face, beacuse she doesn't understand what did he just say, if they are people or places. He repeats the names again. She memorizes them, to mention them later to Clef. Suddenly, she felt his bigger hand starting to close on her slighter one, asi if he were looking for reassurement, bu without hurting her.... and he starts speaking in a rather desperate tone.

"_Duless... Duless..._" while he starts clutching her hand harder and harder. "_Duless..... DULESS!!!_" the man finally exclaims with despair and starts to sream and shaking uncontrollably. _"GRAAAAAAARRRRGHH!" _while Presea feels how her hand is being clutched harder and harder, without being able to break free... until the point that her hand hurts, a lot. The man screams once more, and shakes again. Finally he releases her hand and sits in the bed, unexpectedly quick for his size and state, startling her. HE es breathing hard and deep, as if he just woke up from the worst nightmare he had in his life, and Presea knows that is really was, because with the pain that she still feels in her hand, somehow she got an idea of how terrifying was his nightmare.

**End Prelude Part 1.**

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**Author Note:**

Yeah, i kind of like Presea (sexy blonde with a temper to be reckoned with... OH YEAH!! xD!!), so this was for her :D. The fic is just starting and will go on for a while. So feel free to drop constructive critique :)

Anyways, it's my right and my saying to turn this into an ASMI or CLEMI, and nothing of what you say will make me change my mind once it set it.

**(1):** Hey, if Mokona in the tv-show only created fruits, it doesn't mean that in my story can't do more thing. 'For god's sake' Mokona is the creator!!, So he can multiply roast beefs instead of fishes ;). I know that in the manga he went to another universe, as an archmage that got bored of the world that he created, but i insist... THIS IS A FANFIC.


	2. Prelude: Part 2 and end

**Title: World of the Heart and the Shadow of the Twin Goddesses.**

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**Disclaimer:** This is a crossover of Magic Knight Rayearth, with elements of Ancient Book of Ys I & II, and some other elements taken of various games from that action-rpg saga. Only the plot presented in this story is 'original'. MKR characters belong to CLAMP, and those of Ys saga belong to Nihon Falcom Co. Enjoy the Story.

Also, this is a translation made by myself of the original story in spanish: "El Mundo del Corazón y la Sombra de las Dos Diosas", also available in this site.

**"** **.... " :** character speech aloud.

**'* …... *':** character thoughts.

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_**In the Previous Chapter:**_

"_Duless... Duless..._" while he starts clutching her hand harder and harder. "_Duless..... DULESS!!!_" the man finally exclaims with despair and starts to sream and shaking uncontrollably. _"GRAAAAAAARRRRGHH!" _while Presea feels how her hand is being clutched harder and harder, without being able to break free... until the point that her hand hurts, a lot. The man screams once more, and shakes again. Finally he releases her hand and sits in the bed, unexpectedly quick for his size and state, startling her. HE es breathing hard and deep, as if he just woke up from the worst nightmare he had in his life, and Presea knows that is really was, because with the pain that she still feels in her hand, somehow she got an idea of how terrifying was his nightmare.

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Prelude part 2: "Cleria; A coin has always two sides."  
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Presea moans because of the recent pain in her hand, and falls back into the chair where she sat, when she saw the reaction of the man that just woke up. She manages to recover, while he is still breathing hard, without realizing that there is someone next to him. _"Easy.... take it easy. It was just a bad dream. It just went by, and whatever you dreamed about, it's just that... a dream..." _said with a soft voice, to calm him and be able to get some answers to her doubts. "_You're safe here, in here, the Fortress in the Forest of Silence._"

After hearing her, he raises his face, to look her in the eyes... _"Thanks..."_ said with a dry and raspy voice, but with some gentleness -being thirsty makes voice dry and raspy-.

"_My name is Presea, and i am the Master Pharle of Cephiro.,_" she said with a smile that spoke of her relief of him being able to answer her. "_I'm in charge of crafteing weaponry for the Cephran people using Magic. It's good to see you awake, Kevin. You had us worried._"

_"How do you know my name?" _he asked a bit surprised.

_"When we found you going between consciousness and unconsciousness, you told us your name and then fainted. Then we brought you here." _kindly answered her.

"_Thank you again for taking care of me..._"he said while trying to get out of the bed.

"_No, no, no,_" Presea looked at him, putting a more serious face. _"You'll have nothing of that. You've just woken up of who-knows-what wasted you so and it wouldn't be any good for you to get up, and end up face in the floor. Stay put, and i'll bring lunch. Will keep you company, beacuase i was going to eat something, but i had some sort of little incident...." _she continued, now putting an upset face.

Kevin saw the unexpected change of expression of his host and got a bit startled; Presea noticed this, then she relaxed a bit and smiled again, an act that relieved him.

"_No, don't worry. I wasn't talking about you; it's just that i have a friend with a prankster spirit and i happen to be an innocent victim of his not so innocent actions._" she said him with a smile in her face. "_But it seems that because of him i was able to be here in time to see you wake up. Well... for the time being i'm not going to do anything to him._" She finished with a mischievous grin.

"_Hehehehe, anyways, it seems that you like him as a friend._" he said, somewhat amused by the various reactions that the woman in front of him had shown. _'*I don't recall in my life to have seen a woman as beautiful as her.*'_ he thought. _'*she seems to have a bit of a temper, though. Will make sure to __tread softly around her, don't want to see her pissed off... at least not with me.*' _he smiled then.

"_Something like that._" she answered. _"Wait here please. I'm getting the lunch, it's about time."_ she the stood up and went to the dining room, and found a floating magic-cart for carrying the food, drinks and dining set; the little banquet ready for a meal, with a new lemon pie. And next to all that, a small white feather.

_'*Thanks again, Mokona.*' _She thought happily. '*_But don't you just think that this'll save you from the next time you play a little prank on me._*' Then she smiled mischievously, almost borderline on evil. '_*Punishment! Harsh Punishment! Ohohohoho!*_'

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Presea and Kevin have lunch together and she can get the details she wanted and tells some of her -not her age, that could be a really touchy subject with any cephran female, mind you-; he is 30 years old, and with the exception of his name, he can't seem to remember anything of his life until his nightmare and recent awakening. He tells her about it; he can't grasp how he knew those names, and he just has some kind of gut feeling about the last one: just thinking about it, _Duless_, sent shivers through him, and it triggered an irrational hatred inside him. He doesn't remember seeing any faces. He was in the middle of an absolute darkness standing over something solid, and he heard two female voices, one of a higher tone, and the other with a bit lower tone (2), speaking the names simoltaneously, and when they said the last one, both started screaming as in severe pain; for some reason he felt pain, without being able to say if it was the same that the owner of the voices felt. At some distance there is a light coming from above, lightinh some sort of painting, a huge one that could easily use a good part of some castle wall, about 3 meters of height and 5 meters wide. In it, were two women with angel wings on their backs both wearing dresses of a very light blue color, one with blue hair -slightly darker than Umi's- and the other with lavender hair, both with hair length a bit lower than mid-back; he wasn't able to discern faces. Between the ladies, there was a black sphere with the diameter about the arm of one of the women, but the unusual thing in the painting was that inside the black orb there was something that looked like some sort of flame that is not quiet -it move even though it's a painting; it's the only moving thing of the portrait-. He couldn't remember anything else because he woke up when he realized the out-of-the-usual thing in the portrait. Presea makes a mental note of telling _Madoushi _Clef about this dream. Maybe he might be able to discern something useful about the name, from everything he has read in his long lifetime.

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They finish the meal. He es way better, and lost the raspy and dry voice, so now is more fliud and soft, but kind of a medium-low tome (3). He feels a bit tired. "It seems that slumber is calling again for me." He just finished saying that, yawned, and layed again in the bed, falling instantly asleep.

_'*What a good meal, but i hope that Mokona didn't put somethink to make us sleepy because i have to work now, and i've got loads of it.*' _She thought while she was standing up without any sign of fatigue or drowsiness. _'*Seems that it was just him; well, now i've got to make some tests on this dagger.*' _added for herseld while she was going to a room that she had designed specially for testing weapons of unknown metals in case anything went awry. In that room: At first glance she was quite puzzled, because her first impression of the dagger is that it was made from silver, but it wasn't directly that... it has some other stuff, that you can't find in Cephiro, and because of that she can't name it. Her tests had an interesting but unexpected result, it can channel magic fairly well, allowing to achieve something that without any material available in Cephiro, including Escudo it was simply impossible to do: to imbue an elemental atribute to the weapon, channeling one's own magic into the weapon. She didn't know if this would be of any use, because in Cephiro there were no monsters that were inmune to all forms of magic; there were some with elemental properties, but magic had always worked if you had a strong will.

_"Oh no!!"_ she exclaimed aloud, horrified after seeing that when making the dagger endure a last test, a stress test to compare it with different materials available in Cephiro, the dagger ends up as a pile of s shiny, silver-like dust.

Suddenly, before her appear three spheres: a red one, a blue, and finally a green one, that reveal themselves as the jewel-gloves, the equipment of the Magic Knights set over a work table. Then, the weapons of the girls from another world appear before her floating in mid-air, with the jewel-gloves over the hilt of their respective sword.

_"Presea, Master Pharle of Cephiro." _speaks a deep voice direclty into her heart. _"Thou art the only one capable of the task that fate assigned to thee. Until not so long ago, the Legendary Magic Knight were only an instrument meant for harsh and swift punishment towards the Pillars that failed in their tasks. Since the System changed they are now charged with the holy duty of protecting Cephiro until the end of their days, then the mantle of honour and duty shalt be passed on. The weapon that thou hadst turned into dust, is of a metal not of this world that be named Cleria. The dagger hath broken because it be not in its world where its forging hath taken place; the way to channel the Power of Creation there be not the same of thine Cephiro: here the Strength of thy Heart determines everything, making solid the weapons that thou create as a Master Pharle."_

'*_Cleria... is one of the words that Kevin mentioned in his dream..._*' Presea thought.

"_Cleria can only be made through magic,_" the voice went on. "_Needing as a base some silver, a bit of the forbidden mineral called 'Mal', the Power of Creation as a catalyst of sorts, and one last thing: demonic blood._"

Presea felt horrified when she thought of the components, how could it be possible to make a magic metal like that using things that were both good and evil. She couldn't grasp, nor like it.

"_Child, thou must be aware that tools, be whatever what it may the way that they art made, they still art mediums to achieve an end, not the end itself. It depends on how thou make use of them if thy actions shalt be considered Right or Wrong. Even thyself, after the tragedy that was meant to be with the summoning of The Legendary Magic Knights; thou knowst that even if it brought good, it was at an expensive cost: the inocence of three girls. In the olden days, this legend was meant only to summon a carnage to apply justice according to the law that the Pillar hath to obey; but it was finished by the Supreme Lord of the Universe, because he considered that it was too much carnage and destruction as a price for the rebirth of a world. Thus, when Emeraude drained her life force to summon the Magic Knights, he made sure by himself that the magic chose the three girls with the purest heart it could find, instead of letting the natural course of carnage to be fulfilled. As a result, Cephiro hath changed for good, thanks to the Strength of those Pure Hearts and the will of the People of Cephiro._"

She was shocked before those revelations, not knowing what to think, say or do.

"_For what shalt be coming, thou wilt be working first on the weapons of the Magic Knight. I shalt guide thee with the prayer to join the Cleria with the Escudo in the equipment of the Magic Knights._"

Presea felt how her body and soul was being filled by magic power; she knelt and changed to her ceremonial dress for creatin and started to spell in her mind some words in an ancient tongue of Cephiro, lost to almost everyone but her guild. Slowly she understood the meaning of the prayer. It was an hymn with encountered emotions: happiness and laments. It gave a sensation of tragedy at the beginning, but in the end it gave hope. As the prayer was repeated like a mantra, part of the dust that was now the dagger started to be channeled into the weapons and the jewel-gloves making them glow softly, increasing the brightness until it could be considered as blinding as looking directly to the sun. Once the glow was gone, Presea felt that it was safe to open her eyes, and was able to discern the changes the weapons experienced; some were quite subtle, almost impossible to perceive by someone not trained like her. Even then it took a bit of time for her to do so.

Every one of the swords had something different in the edge, like a leyline that could easily channel the magic. For Hikaru's sword, on top of the hilt now was a red jewel, that would be used as the entry way to channel the magic of its owner. Umi's sword, a blue jewel for the same puspose. But for Fuu it was a bit different; surrounding the green gem in her sword, at its sides appeared two pairs of wings with the feathers colored in a soft green. Making some soft of handguard for the weapon.

Changes in the armor she wasn't able to see them because they had to be worn by the girls.

She realized that half of the Cleria dust was used up, when she heard the voice again.

"_Thy new task henceforth, added to thy old ones, be to equip every existing weapon in Cephiro with Cleria. I shalt provide with enough for equipping all the Castle Guard, and every single weapon in the armory that can be used by any person. Those meant only for its owner will come to thee sooner or later for maintenance. Thou shalt work on them, without telling of what thou hast done in their weapons until The 'Hour of Destiny' hath finally come. Thou shalt use the precious dust into weapons of those who be able to cast magic, lest it be wasted. The only exception being Dal LaFarga. He shalt be needing it soon. Thou can __ignore this once thou art supplied with demon blood, for then thou shalt have all what be needed to make Cleria. I be advising thee as well to use a bit in armors, charms, and jewels meant to protect that you be able to; Cleria used this way shalt prove useful to protect from harmful magic and poisons that might affect its owner._"

Presea still was horrified, but a felt little bit easier after having heard this.

"_This shalt be a need to finish the dark fruits that now be sown, for later be reapt. Regretfully I be not able to tell how many years, but was allowed to prepare thee. Thou shalt know that the 'Hour of Destiny' hath come at last when a bright light of hope shalt utterly vanquish a dire menace that seemed to be hopeless. Within that ray of light, shalt be the bearer of a sword made of Cleria and another material not available in this realm, and the original catalyst for the Cleria; also six tomes of arcane wisdom shalt come with that one, bearing important secrets to save or terminate lives._"

"_I advise thee to get apprentices to work in the creation of equipment, but none of them shalt be able to work on the Escudo, nor imbue it with Cleria, nor endowing Cleria to any other piece made of any material available in Cephiro, for this psalm that I taught thee, is only meant to be spelt with the certainty of being still alive after finishing it, by a Master Pharle, and thou art aware of the price to be paid to become one. Nonetheless, thy pupils shall relieve you from a mountain of work that might prove fatal for thine existence, and as of now thou art precious to Cephiro, for it wilt be no one capable of giving people the tools needed to combat the monsters made by their own fears. Even though there shalt be reasons to be afraid, I trust the people of Cephiro. They hath already proven their complete joint Strength of Heart, when believing in the Magic Knights to be able to vanquish Debonair, and thank to all of them it was possible to make Cephiro to be reborn more beautiful than never before._"

"_Thou shalt share this only with Madoushi Clef. The equipment of the Magic Knight shalt be in thy care until a time later. I be not able to tell when for even I know not that time. Cannot say as well what shalt happen in a complete way, I be only allowed to show glimpses; and thou art the one that have to walk the road. Strenghten thy bonds with the other kingdoms in this realm, for when the siege of the dark tide that shalt come thou hast steadfast and reliable allies. When the siege hath begun thou shalt be able to get the last item needed to refine Cleria, and thou shalt be allowed to teach thy apprentices to convert the ingredients unto Cleria. Thou shalt notice that every single weapon imbued with Cleria, will have a transparent jewel that shalt darken iwhen it damages demons, and when it be pitch dark, said weapon shalt not absorb anymore blood of a single demon. Now, thou shalt be granted with the prayers and psalms required for: extracting demon blood from the jewels to vials, and the one that be refining the ingredients into Cleria._"

In Presea's mind, the prayers flow for some instants and she realized that they're memorized into her. Also, she knows the exact proportions for mixing and refining Cleria.

"_The signal that shalt mark the beginning of the onslaught or siege, whatever thee wish to name it, will be when a slain demon turns into a murdered innocent one, or when a complete city is turned to stone almost in its entirety, excepting those uncapable of fending for themselves and be at risk of death by hunger or thirst._"

_"Finally, nor thee, nor Madoushi Clef shall tell a word of this nor to the Magic Knights or any mortal of this realm or neighboring ones until the 'Hour of Destiny' finally hath come to be. Only then thou shalt be allowed to speak aloud of this, for thou art knowing of the demonic onslaught that be going to ravage Cephiro as fiercely as a Pillar War. In part, this be a new test for thine hearts and thou shalt face it. In this same moment i be speaking to Clef of these affairs we hath spoken. Both shalt be bound to the Oath of Silence that not only is going to make you relive the pain of the trial thou hath faced to become what thou art now; after that pain be gone, it is only sure that a heartless death sentence shalt be cast upon thee before the 'Hour of Destiny'. With that, in thine consciences is the burden of being the ones that for a time shalt uphold Cephiro's destiny, be it to salvation or armageddon. This condition I be imposing it upon thee not to my leisure; it be the condition under which I be able to intervene in these affairs, and as harsh as it might seem, is for the best of Cephiro."_

The voice ends its speech, and in the room two boxes of about 1 cubic meter are materialized in a flash of light. Each one has Cleria, turned to dust. Then, the jewel-gloves of the Magic Knights dissapear in a soft light and Presea is aware that they went to the place where she holds them safe. Finally something totally unexpected to her, a chocolate bar of a first-quality brand available in the world of the Magic Knights, and another little white feather, that will fade into little wisps of light.

_"Well..... aren't you quite the professional blackmailer, Mokona?... I have no other choice but to accept." _muttered moodily Presea, and then smiling as a little girl when ripping open the chocolate bar.

* * *

**  
Some months later, Cephran time:**

With the passage of time, Presea's guest was quite the helper in home stuff, like cleaning, cooking, moving stuff and doing some errands to the city that was close by.

Said city, Sirenia (4), was enclosed into sturdy walls, given the economic growth of the kingdom, and the fact that the embassy of Autozam in Cephiro, that in the outside it looks like just another big house – well, a mansion enclosed into walls- but in the inside it has all the lodgings that Autozam people are used to, and useful stuff they've found in Cephiro.

Some day, Kevin realized that he wanted to do another things; life in the armory was nice, because he had company for small talk, because of the arrival of the four fledgling _Pharles._ Two ladies: Celica and Astra, not looking a day older than 18; and the Two lads: Lothar and Griswold, about the same age-look. The apprentices had quite a mountain of work, but they learnt fast. Presea was a good teacher, but if someone didn't catch quickly the trade or messed up badly, her temper was quick to erupt into her usual 'punishment-mode'. Sometimes, Mokona dropped by to say "Pu!" or something like that and to unleash some pranks on Presea, just for the sake of old times; the kids, as she called them with a certain degree of fondness, laughed while working like madmen.

**End Prelude Part 2.**

* * *

**  
Author Note:**

**- **Remember that i use the metric system. Asking for changing it will get you nowhere. Use an online calculator to do the math.

- Since english isn't my native language, corrections in grammar, spelling and all that stuff to make this story better are welcome with open arms.

**- **My most sincere apologies for the "old english". Definitely not my forte. Ways to make it sound more consistent are quite welcome.

- Thought the character Kevin might look original, it is not. For purposes of this story i changed his name from Keith. Just for storytelling purposes, given his amnesiac background.

- I took the idea of the mineral 'Mal', from the excellent masterpiece of a fanfic 'Ice and Snow' written by ViscountessKiera. Available in this same site and section (rayearth). All credits for this are only hers ;). And take the time to read that story; simply put, it is a 'Jewel in the Garden'.

- The names of the male apprentices come from Warcraft and Diablo. I'm not that original to name characters when in a pinch or writing urge.

**- **Remember that in Cephiro physical appearance usually does not reflect the age of the person. (Hey, Presea might be about 300 hundred y.o!!... _"I heard that, you author!". – 'Me and my mouth... ahem,... fingers...._' [escapes from an angry lady with a sledgehammer using Mokona-learned-techniques]).

**(2): **soprano, mezzo-soprano respectively.

**(3): **baritone.

**(4):** I don't remember the exact name of the city in the TV-Series. From now on it shall be named this way for this story :D. It's a coincidence that it has the same name as one of my favourite Metal music groups, but the reason of the name is not that one... I was inspired by the GF Siren of FFVIII, that silences enemies forbidding them to use magic.


	3. A new Trip

**Title: World of the Heart and the Shadow of the Twin Goddesses.**

* * *

**Disclaimer:** This is a crossover of Magic Knight Rayearth, with elements of Ancient Book of Ys I & II, and some other elements taken of various games from that action-rpg saga. Only the plot presented in this story is 'original'. MKR characters belong to CLAMP, and those of Ys saga belong to Nihon Falcom Co. Enjoy the Story.

Also, this is a translation made by myself of the original story in spanish: "El Mundo del Corazón y la Sombra de las Dos Diosas", also available in this site.

" …**.... " :** character speech aloud.

**'* …... *':** character thoughts.

AR years: After Cephiro's Rebith, measured in Cephran timeline (3 cephran days == 1 terran day).

* * *

_**Chapter 1: "A new trip."  
**_

**12 Years AR (4 terran years after MKR2, year 2003 A.C.)**

It's a cold and rainy day in Tokyo, being January in the year 2003. It's now Thursday some minutes past lunchtime, before a long weekend. Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki and Fuu Houoji are friends since that day 4 years ago, when they met in Tokyo Tower and were summoned to Cephiro, to save it from destruction, without knowing or expecting that they would be the ones to cause a great tragedy while fulfilling an unexpected duty that wasn't revealed until the very end. After that time, a chance to make amends was granted to them and were allowed to go back to Cephiro to fulfill their wish to rectify things and never regret their actions again; during those harsh times they had proven their Strength of Heart time after time, being able to save Cephiro again thanks to Hikaru being chosen as the Pillar. She wished for Cephiro to be supported by everyone who loved it, and to forbid a tragedy like the deaths of the lovers Emeraude and Zagato to be repeated, ever again. The girls made many bonds of friendship and even found true love with their twin souls, worlds apart by interstellar distances but able to be with the other in this lifetime thanks to the existence of the portal in Tokyo tower, that can only be opened by the Three Girls when wishing with all their hearts to go to their friends and loved ones. Thanks to the extra time obtained while being in Cephiro they were able to enter the famous Tokyo University; Hikaru started to study for being a Veterinarian given her passion for animals; Umi wantes to finally be a Lyric Singer; finally, Fuu decided to listen her heart moved for the compassion that she had and wanted to become a Medical Doctor.

All the girls were 18 years of age, now with the bodies of fully grown women; Hikaru was still the shorter of the trio; Umi was the tallest and with a slender figure, the envy of many girls and the dream of those who only cared for looks; Fuu was a bit shorter than Umi, but had also a nice and lean form, and now she did prefer to use contact lenses in the week and glasses in the weekend.

* * *

The redhead Hikaru, was meditating in the Shidou Dojo. Her father, Shigeru Shidou went some days ago to a gathering of Kendo masters in Kyoto. In her house were still her mother Mariko, and her eldest brother Satoru, the heir to the tradition of the Family Dojo; her other two brothers, Masaru and Kakeru lived in another part of Tokyo that was closer to their study places, although whenever they had time went to the familiy home. Satoru walks to her, being careful to not to startle her, and when he arrived next to her, he sits japanese-style.

"_Satoru, eldest brother._" said Hikaru exiting her trance and looking him in the eyes.

_"Hikaru. I'm sorry if i interrupted you." _answered her brother, looking at her affectionately.

"_No, brother, i just finished metitation. I'm happy._" smiled Hikaru.

_"I guess that you're going to hang out with Umi and Fuu."_

"_Yes brother, we are going to the Ryuuzaki's family hut in the mountains. They were so kind to lend __it to us for the weekend, they want to see Umi-chan smile and according to them, only we can do that._"

"_I see; besides, everytime you go out with them you come with a different expression, like walking in the air, and being content, your heart at peace._" he answered with a smile and then continued. _"I don't know if you meet in secret with your lucky boyfriends." _he finished saying it with a mischievous smile, something that was almost as rare as seeing that in Lantis.

"B-b-brother!....." said Hikaru while blushing to match her hair colour.

"_So it really was that._" his brother spoke, feigning a really stern expression in his face but sortly after changing it to a kind one, even brimming with happiness. "_I don't care for that, as long as you're happy. Your other brothers will be another matter, but they don't see you that often to be able to realize it._"

"_Brother...._" Hikaru looked at him, with eyes on the verge of shedding tears of happiness.

"_I only hope to be able to meet him one day. I trust the decisions that you've made so far because you have an incredible inner strength, and that makes me proud to be your elder brother. I'm sure he has a noble heart, capable of sacrificing his life for yours. You brothers shall not hear about him from me._"

"_Thank you! Elder brother."_ Hikaru jumps to hug him.

_"No problem my dear sister. But remember one thing...." _he answered looking at her more seriously now.

"_What is it, brother?_"

"_I'm still too young to be an uncle. And i want to see the faces of my siblings when you bring him here._" he answered with a mischievous, wicked smile, borderline on evil, and trying to contain his laughter. For a moment, she saw those rare chances when her beloved Lantis, used to joke at the expense of other people, but never at her own.

"...." Hikaru couldn't help but blush furiously.

_"Well, enough of being the evil older brother. Have a nice weekend. Remeber to take everything that you need for the trip."_

_"Thank you.... brother."_ barely answered Hikaru, still surprised by the not usual prankster side of his always serious eldest brother, but when it came to was capable to humble the most prideful man in the world.

Hikaru stood from her sitting stance and went to her room to get ready for the trip. She took the medallion that never leaves her side, and holds it as if it were to disappear suddenly. She thinks in her knight in obsidian armor, raven dark hair, and expressive violet eyes and whispers. "_Lantis..._" The medallion shone for a brief instant and it opens showing two images, one of her with her hair unbraided, and another of him, doing the most stange thing never seen in Cephiro: Lantis smiling wide. Hikaru looked one last time, an then sighed, and closed the medallion. She gets her thing ready and get out of her house, walking quickly to Umi's house. '*Let's see... do i have everything i have to take ? Ah yeah! Thanks to an otaku friend i was able to get al the movies, series and OVAs for Gundam and Macross. I owed them to Zazu a long time, since I told him about those mecha animated series; i'm sure he'll go ballistic, like Masaru.*' Hikaru giggled when remembering his brother watching TV. '*_Should i see Eagle, i'll ask him to hand them over to Zazu. Let's see... candies for Geo and Eagle, and some other stuff. Yess, all set._*'

For some reason, she remembered Kevin, the man who they found unconscious some time ago – about three cephran years - . In time he finally decided to become a healer, to wander through Cephiro, and that way to be able to know more about the people who lived there. He alread had two and a half years of training, with magic lessons about healing and protection, and some lore in Cephran medicine. He still had three years to be considered a full fledged healer, but he was ok with that. The times that she spoke with them, be it with Lantis or her other friends, they felt that he was content with learning to heal people... as if he had seen or lived through an almost unbearable pain; even though he may not be able to remember it, the girls were almost able to grasp it, something like themselves with their life experiences.

* * *

Fuu was in her bedroom, layin on her bed while she remembered her previous trips to Cephiro; unconsciously she was looking for the Jeweled-Communicator that Ferio gave to her as a gift. Ferio, that man of another world.... in the start just another lone wolf type... but in time he turned out to be the Prince of Cephiro, only sibling to Princess Emeraude, and legitimate heir to the throne; even though he sometimes acted more like a vagrant than a prince. Anyways, she was sure of the fact that her heart was stolen by that thief in white gloves. Se realized that she had the jewel in her hand, and takes it out from her purse, to contemplate it in detail, yet another time. "_Ferio.... my love... my wish is to live my life with you. I don't care where, Earth or Cephiro... a kingdom is not worth being far from you. But i know that this waiting time will give results in the end. I will be there, able to help Cephiro and the people, and by your side._" she spoke aloud, without realizing until it was too late.

_"AHA! Gotcha Fuu!" _she heard a voice very vell known to her, with a tone of happiness and certain victory. "My little sister is in love!"

"_Kuu! Elder sister!"_ Fuu said while gazing to the door where she saw her elder sister grinning ear to ear. Fuu inmediately blushed, becoming as red as a ripe apple. She was lucky to be able to hide the Jewel in her purse.

"_jijiji_" Kuu tried putting her hand over her mouth to try stopping her laughter. _"And i thought that you would be an old maid forever.... or worse.... That i would never be able to be an aunt!"_

_"Sister!"_ Fuu now had to lower her gaze, she was utterly embarrased.

"_Ok... better tell me about him.... How is he? Where does he come from?_"

"...." Fuu was still silent.

_"Come on, sister. I won't tell our parents about that, not now that they're at our grandparents's. I bet that he must be quite the Prince Charming to make you blush that way." _her sister said with a mischievous tone.

_'*You just don't know, dear sister...*' _Thought Fuu now recovered and smiling. _'*Well, i will have to tell her something, but not too much... or else she would believe that too many romance novels, or quantum mechanics or biology books got me insane.*'_

"_Well, for starters I can tell you that he has a noble heart, and doesn't stop flattering me, although i don't see that much in myself._"

"_Come on, Fuu-chan. You know that the Houoji women not only are just smart, but also quite attractive. So at least you know he is honest._" She said winking an eye.

"_jijiji_"Fuu chuckled softly, now a bit calmer. "_At least with ladies he is a perfect gentleman, since he has a sort of diplomatic and protocol based upbringing..._"

"_the son of an ambassador?_"

"_something like that, but well.... he works out a lot, he is worried about people... has a rebellious hair... and those amber eyes that you might get lost if you stare into them too long..._" answered Fuu, without realizing that she said aloud some details that she wanted to keep for herself.... at least in the way she said them. When she realized that, she blushed because she was thinking in a time when she pulled a prank on her favourite prankster, and pushed him to the water in the fountain of one of the interior gardens of the Crystal Palace, and how his casual wear that he was using for workout sticked to his body like glue, showing his firm muscles, trained and honed with his years as a vagrant.

_"Lucky you that i don't know him.... or else i'd try for sure to get him for me!" _Said Kuu after seeing her blush.

_"BIG SISTER!!" _yelled Fuu at her, surprised and almost angry, totally not like her normal self.

"_Come on little sister, i was just joking around._" said Kuu quickly, trying to calm her and somewhat surprised. _"You know that I wouldn't do that. Besides for me, the ideal man should be someone.... strong, silent... with expressive eyes... an aura of wisdom around him... and i wouldn't complain if he has a decent looks..." _now she was the one with a dreamer's look and who blushed. "_Well, enough of picking on my little sister, for now. Ah!... Umi called not so long ago, to remember you that you were going to her place. Well, now i'm going to my bedroom; take care of yourself... and take care of your prince!_" Kuu said, almost laughing out loud when exiting Fuu's bedroom. Fuu wasn't able to tell her any witty comment.

She saw the time in her watch, and realized that was slightly late to be at Umi's. She know how she gets when someone gets late.... no dragon could be deadlier. '*O_hoho, i think i was exaggerating a bit. Well now time to double-check my equipment. Ah yes... and that oh-so-expensive box I bought at Victoria's Secret... I want to see Ferio's face when I...._*' Fuu blushed again. She had ready everything, took her purse and stuff, put her coat on, and went almost sprinting to Umi's house

* * *

Umi was in a very large room in the first floor of the Ryuuzaki manor – in terms of japanese space, it qualified as a manor-, and there was a large window that looked out to an ample yard that had a swimming pool, now empty. There were few trees, in fact she would have loved to see some more, so it would look like one of the inner gardens of the Cephran Crystal Palace, a place that held too many good memories for her. In the room were ancient pieces of classic hand-made furniture, very well crafted, some dating from the 1920's style or somewhat older; there also was a grand piano worthy enough for the imperial concert hall, and some armchairs appropiate to the style of the room. Her mother, Yuki Ryuuzaki was playing the piano from way before she had entered the room, and did not seem to realize that her daughter was there... the song... somehow Umi felt that it wasn't transmitting the usual happiness and serenity that were her mother's trademark, as the eternal honeymoon when she made eye contact with her father, Aoshi Ryuuzaki. The melody was sad, like a lament for something or someone that was lost forevermore; she was playing the music without faltering, with a calm tempered through years of suffering from that loss, as if even she moved on, it was impossible to leave everything in the past just as a bad memory. Yuki finished the piece, and she breathed deeply, but not at peace; Umi was able to see that when her mother perceived that she was in the room and looked at her, she was surprised.

_"Mom, i'm sorry." _Umi said, without being able to know why she felt so bad for just a melody, even though she was quite conscious of the fact tha music in itself is capable of transmitting the emotions of the composer and the performer beyond the words, even the last being totally irrelevant sometimes. That was she wanted to do, even more than her passion for fencing. "_It wasn't my intention to interrupt such a personal moment you were having._"

_"My sweet Umi, don't worry." _Yuki told her, now with her usual serenity back as if nothing happened. "_It's just and ancient melody that is in the lore of my family. It is used when we wanted to tell the story of twin sisters, taken apart at birth because of the custom that said that the birth of multiple children at once to a mother was a disgrace because she was compared with animals, that give birth that way; the way to redeem the honour of the family, was for the mother to leave the eldest of each gender alive, killing the rest. The father of the girls, had to force himself to abandon one in the mountains at the beginning of the winter, after being found out by his lords six months after his wife gave birth to the twins; he did that not without pain, but he had to avoid the disgrace and shame. The eldest girl lived in a fief from the West of the country, and the youngest... she survived, because she was lucky to have been found by an Assassin from a Ninja Clan, so she was trained as a Kunoichi. They never met, but the eldest ended up being the wife of a Shogun, while the yougest waas one of the deadliest assassins in existence ever heard about. The Ninja Clan gave her the mission of ending the Shogun's life, because the price was paid by all the people that were threatened by his iron grip rule, some say that by the empire itself; he was a glorified bloodthirsty and powerhungry tyrant. She met her mark with success, and after the fight her face was uncovered so she finally met her long lost twin sister, in the most unexpected of the places. They were not able to speak a single word, for the castle guard had arrived and even when surprised with the sight of identical women with different clothes, they made the youngest a prisoner because of the blood in her weaponry. The eldest, now the lady of the lordship went to the prison, and ordered the guard there to leave her alone, for honor to the widow. She was able to talk and in that time she lloker into her younger sister's eyes and knew that she was telling the truth of the actions of her husband.... her eyes had seen and were showing the misery and sorrow caused by the Shogun's hunger for power, and lived some in her own flesh and blood. She came to tell herself that she had to free her little sister even at the cost of her life, to atone for the sin of sleeping with that demon disguised as a man. With a narcotic in the Kunoichi's food she put her to sleep and changed her clothes. She was to be executed then. The Kunoichi woke up just in time to see how her elder sister was being executed in the way she was meant to, without honor. She saw how the executioner finished the life of the only blood relative she had ever known. Scared she ran towards the garden of the castle and found a plant with a tuber root, that she for her trade knew its properties... she drank all the juice contained in the root, she layed on the flower bed of the garden and waited for the slumber to take her... the eternal slumber... forevew now with her sister, beyond this ruthless world that did not allow them to be together, and with that sacrifice the Fortunes were to give them a new chance to live like sisters, like they wanted since the moment they met._"

Umi felt how her vision was watery and crystallized, and fell hevaily in the closest armchair. And she couldn't stand it anymore.... she let her tears flow, as everytime she remembered the tragedy of Emeraude and Zagato, even though she was now able to live with that. Yuki went to her, and softly told her. "_My __sweet Umi, i'm sorry to made you cry. I would not have told you this story... but i felt the need to do it. I know it is a tragedy... but it's time is now well past._"

"_Mom, I know.... it's just that i was thinking in the love that these two people had shown the one to the another._" replied Umi, telling a half-truth, because she was thinking in the tragedy she had a part as one heavily involved in its cause.... and something else. _'*As how life gives the cards to us, when the only thing we want is to be able to love and be loved.... i'm still alone, and the one who i love is a very distant man... unreachable for a child as myself... Clef.... Will you realize that i exist, and love you, as Fuu loves Ferio?*'_

_"Aaaaahh... Love..." _Her mother's expression changed now to the one she had as a woman eternally in love. Umi was now ready to see her mother in her sweet mode, when she smiled and asked her. _"and you, my dear child... When shall you bring a boyfriend to this come, to know and talk to him?"_

"_Mother!_"

"_Stop it, darling.... i doubt there is a man patient enough for her explosive temper._" a happy tenor voice said from the door. Entering the room with a diary, dame Umi's father, Aoshi, trying to hold back his laughter. _"He should be declared as a Saint!" _finished saying while chuckling.

"_Father!_" now Umi was upset. _"For your information there is someone!" W_hat she had yelled sank in, and she blushed furiously, truly embarrased... something that almost never happened in front of her parents.

"_That's good, sweet daughter._" her father replied. "_If you noticed him, there should be something special about him, and maybe not just only something. I remember you having some suitors, but none filled you in the spiritual sense._"

"_And does he also feels that way for you?_" asked Yuki to Umi.

"..." Umi lowered her face, not wanting to answer, she felt a bit hurt.

"_Sweet Umi, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to. The only thing I want you to know is that you must be honest with yourself, to be able to find and walk the right path._" her father told her. _"At least i did so, and even if i had quite my share of hardships, including proving that a 'mr. Nobody' a i was, was worthy of being the husband of your mother. I do love her so much that i gave up my older family name, to take your mother's, Ryuuzaki, because she was the only child of her family."_

"_Dad... Mom... thank you... when i've come to terms with myself I will tell you everything._" Umi told them, now with a smile and a calmer face. _"Now i'm going to get my things to go out with Hikaru and Fuu."_ Umi hugged each one of them and went out from that music room they were to go to her bedchamber, take the things, and finally to the kitchen to get the cakes and pastries that she had ready to take to Cephiro.

----

Meanwhile, Yuki and Aoshi were speaking in a low voice in the music room.

_"Yuki, my dear... Did you tell her the story of Ayame and Suzume?"_

_"Yes, to carry this burden is truly a source of sorrow; the story looks a lot like that we lived through 18 years ago... When will we tell her everything?"_

"_As you asked me... i had already written the letter that you asked me, according to the Ryuuzaki Clan custom, and left it in her purse. She will see it when she arrives wherever she goes with her friends; they will be able to help her better than us. We have been keeping this secret from her since 18 years ago, but i still have not the courage to tell her directly, it will have to be this way...._" Aoshi hugged his wife, then kissed her softly for a long time. Once they ended the kiss, they were in each other's arms.

_"Tokiko...." _both whispered at once in the ear of the other... and cried some tears, that thanks to their mutual support they were able to stop them quickly.

----

Now, Umi was ready with what she was going to take for her 9-day trip to Cephiro, including the patries for a tea party. She made a special one, filled with nutella, only for a certain little charater with a big craving for sweets after a sleepless night in the Palace Library; but normally he couldn't beat Eagle or Geo when it came to a sweet tooth. She noticed that he seemed slightly more worried now; and also he had some sort of frequent meetings with Presea, who even asked by Ferio to move her workshop to the castle, she liked to work in the Forest of Silence, and it seemed like those meeting had him a bit more edgy than usual. Well, now that she was finally ready, she sat in the living room to wait for her friends.

A few minutes later, both girls arrive slightly panting, grab a bit of juice from Umi's fridge, and take a cab to the Tokyo Tower. Once there, they go up to the place where they first met. Once in front of the large window, they take their hands forming the triangle, and then comes the flash of light that only they can see and without anybody noticing, the girls are no longer next to the windows.

**End Chapter 1.**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**- **Lots of thanks to F-Chan, Kartai & Akemi-chuu for beta-reading (spahish version).

- Thy Serpent.... a great inspiration for writing sad things... didn't think it'd be that way.

- I know that chapters are quite long... but i'd like to know if you prefer them that way, or shorter instead. Reviews are greatly appreciated.

- I'm not that original for names, i insist :D.

- Macross & Gundam aren't mine... if that were the case i'd be a dilettante with the funds to be one in full.


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